The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-17
A MIND READERS SEA,ICE.
Mr.. ]. Randall Browns Public Eyhibi-
ton of His Wonderful Gift.
Tests of the Strange Power-How the
Thoughts of Several Persons We're Followed
at the Grand 0pera-House Last Night.

b
Grand Opera-house, last night. The house was
crowded allow and a1oft, and several hundred
people unwilling to take seats in the second
gallery were turned away. Mr. Brown, in be.
ginning his seance, as he called it. explained
that the conditions essential to success were
simply that the person whose mind he would at
tempt to read should have sufficient power of
concentration to keep bis mind firmly fixed upon
the one thing, as he could not read the mind Of
any one who was not capable of such concentra-
ton, or who was determined that he,
the mind-reader. should not succeed
Mr.. Brown said that he simply
used their precepiive faculties. and never
succeeded where ones mind was wandering,
while. with the proper condition. there was no
such thing as failure in his experiments. The
undertaking faculty is the reverse of mesmer-
Ism. Instead of the mind Of the operator direct
| ing the subject the subject directs the mind Of
| the operator Professor Collett Judge Norton,
| Capt. W. r. Myers, State Senator DeMotte. L.
| NJ Harlan, Samuel Burdette and George Spahr
| were chosen a committee on the part of the
! audience and took seats npon the stage Judge
| Norton being made chairman. MIR. Harlan was
little slow in getting on
Mr.. Brown don't see Mr.. Harlan, the re-
| naming member
Voice-He is coming from below
Another voice-In collision with hades.
The committee selected Hon. Charles Jewett to
make the first test Of Mr. Browns power He did
not come forward James a. Rice was called on.
but refused DR.. l.. D. Waterman sitting in the
lower box at the right of the stage was called on
and promptly stepped upon the platform. Mr.
a1t,o
ticle the Doctor had in his mind some place in
the audience. Mr.. Brown tied a handkerchief
over his own eyes. took the Doctors right hand
in his right, and with his other hand made a
number of short quick energetic strokes across
the Doctors forehead. He then started down
the center aisle, holding the Doctors hand
and leading the D octor and moving with as great
swiftness as if he had the assurance of sight
he first went to the north side of the theater
near the box on that side, where the Doctor to
save time told him he had taken the wrong side
OF the house. and he then moved to the south
side and entered the box the Doctor had lust left
After some hesitation he put his hand upon a
journal reporter, who had been seated behind
the Doctor. 1t seems the article hidden was
pin stuck in the coat collar of the reporter, of
which the reporter himself was unconscious, the
Doctor having placed it there moment before
stepping upon the stage. Mr.. Brown went
through all the coat and vest pockets of the re-
porter, his hand lingering about the back of the
coat collar. He did not like to give up. He was
certain he had the person. but rot the object
lie finally said he couldn't quite make it out
The reading was good as far as it went It was
wonderful In thus choosing man out of a thou
sand or more, but was not a complete success
His next reading was better. State Senator
Willard was called to the stage by the commit
tee lie was told TO fix his mind strongly upon
some one In the audience He dd SO, and
blindfolded. Mr.. Brown went down the center
aisle into the lower box the north side of the
house and placed his hand upon Col. James W.
Gray. Mr. Willard said that was the man, and
that he had just seen him from the statge and
did not even know his name. Mr.. Brown said
he had gone in that roundabout way to find the
man, following the Senator'S mind Had the
Senator thought of the direct way across the
stage he could then. folle wing his mind. have
put hands upon Colonel Gray without leaving
the stage.
asked to come forward to the stage. He declined
and Isaac Thalman. of this city, took part in
the next illustration of Mr. Browns skill Mr.
Ihaiman was to map out "in his minds eye |
HoratiO," a route, which Mr.. Brown reading his |
mind, would follow. The route as disclosed af-
terward, was from the step down tine center
aisle to the entrance, then around to the lower
box to the left of the stage, then twice around
l.
when he had got into the box, did not
go through, but retraced his steps and
returning up the center aisle went upon the |
stage, leading Mr.. tThaman all this way with
him and then twice around the cabinet Mr. |
Thalmah explained the diversion from the pro- |
gramme. On coming to the box he himself had |
changed his mind and did not wish to go |!
through, as the box was crowded, and he did !
not wish to disturb. as it would have DONE the |
persons seated there. This only served to show,
IN higher degree. the wonderful faculty pos |
sessed by Mr. Brown.
James E. Robertson was next called upon by |
the committee to come upon the stage Mr. |
Brown, still blindfolded, asked him to impress |
upon his mind the most prominent features of |
some one in the audience; that he would then |
go down with Mr.. Robertson, and, seeing through (
his, Robertson's eyes, would return to the stage
and after he, Brown, described this mental pho |
tograph upon the stage, he would, unblindfolded |
return to the audience and endeavor to find the |
face to suit the description. This was recog- |
nized by every one most difficult test
On returning to the stage, this search of blind
mans buff requiring considerable time, Mr.. |
Brown gave the following description: .The |
face of gentleman somewhat advanced in !
years; hair turning quite gray; with mustache |
and beard, the beard cut rather short gray; |
light complexion. heavy eyebrows. / think / |
would recognize the face if l were to see it |
again"
Mr.. Robertson remained on the stage and the |
mndr reader returned to the audience. After a |
long LOOK through the audience in which he |
scanned several hundred faces. Mr. Brown finally |
stopped and placed his hand upon Gabriel |
Schmuck. ex- Clerk Of the Supreme Court When |
he came forward to the stage, everybody saw |
that he fitted The description. The chairman of
the committee announced that the mind reader |
had found the man whom Mr.. Robertson had |
pictured in his mind.
The remaining part of the performance was |
of the kind called "spiritualistic," remarka-
BILE in being either better worse than has been
seen upon the same stage and elsewhere in this |
he gave the somewhat sombre title Of "a Mes |
sage from the Dead"
Judge Ralph Hill chosen to come for |
ward. He seated himself on one side of small |